Journey - REVISED EDITION

Returning To Hell

DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own Alex Rider. I just like to warp his sad, amazing life story into something angsty.

Fox sat in the office, shock racing through his veins, as the Sargent's words rolled over their heads.

Alex. It was Alex.

"...one of the highest, most important, most effective agents in the history of MI6... he's very dangerous."

It couldn't be the same boy he'd met years ago. It just couldn't.

But he knew it was. Deep down inside, his gut clenched, the terrible truth of this wrecked boy washing over him. MI6. Agent. Agent Alex Rider.

It sounded terrifyingly accurate.

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Dinner was a relatively quiet affair. Each member was lost in his own thoughts, though admittedly, they all centered around the same topic: the strange new mission they had just been handed on a silver platter.

It was seriously disturbing. They were expected to just protect this person whom they knew virtually nothing about, from people they had never encountered before.

As a medic, Snake watched the others reaction to the news. Fox's face had paled drastically, before getting that extremely irritatingyou-can't-read-me-because-I-don't-have-emotions-anymore look on his face that is apparently prevalent in spies. Snake had a sinking feeling that Fox knew exactly who their mission was and that he wouldn't be revealing anything about this mysterious character. After all, he was a MI6 operative. 'Oh yeah, just another completely-world-rocking revelation for you to swallow as if there wasn't enough mystery and lies in your life already.'

Frustrated, Snake stabbed the...food?... on his plate and shoved it into his mouth, trying not to gag. You got used to the food eventually but it was still disgusting. Eagle, usually shoving the meals in his mouth at an unbeatable rate, was simply staring at his plate and pushing the slop around. It was no doubt very difficult for him to suddenly have Fox back in his life, when he thought he'd never see him again. They all had felt varying degrees of betrayal when Fox had just left, with nothing but a note saying he'd left to join MI6, but Eagle had definitely been hit the hardest.

Falcon was just watching Fox warily. He no doubt felt his position threatened. He needn't worry though. Fox wasn't back for good, no matter how awesome that would be.

Fox... well, Fox was simply lost in his thoughts. Every now and then someone came up and chatted with him for a few moments, but it was obvious he wasn't really all there at the moment.

Wolf was the only one acting even remotely normal. He wasn't going to let this mission affect him, so good for him. At least he wasn't having any suspicious feelings, as if there was more to the picture than MI6 wanted them to see. But of course there would have to be. It's MI6 for heaven's sake.

"So. Agent Daniels, huh?" Wolf sounded furious.

"Wolf, I-" Fox began, tiredness seeping out of his voice.

"Don't Just don't. You said you were a civilian now. You promised me, us, your family, that you were not in any danger, that you'd left the military for good."

"I couldn't tell you!" Fox shouted, standing up, looking completely done with everything. "I- I still can't." He ran a hand across his haggard face. "I'm having an early night." He quietly left the room, stares and whispers following his silent form.

Yup. Something was definitely up.

After dismissal, Snake left Wolf and the others, heading back to the cabin. He needed to sort out his thoughts in peace and quiet. Pushing open the door slowly, he whispered, "Fox?"